Stand and fall
by soul-wanderer94
Summary: Set after 11x02 - Ziva comes back to D.C after 6 months and shows up in Gibbs basement, pregnant, because she is afraid of Tony's reaction and hopes he can give her some advice, not knowing that Tony is standing at the top of the staircase all the time - prompt from anon.


**I decided on sharing this oneshot with you as well & hope you enjoy reading it. There were so many possible scenarios to this prompt going on in my head that it was difficult to decide on one.  
Reviews would be lovely!**

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She hadn't planned on ending up in his basement in the first place but the fear had gotten the best of her and the only person she knew would be able to help her was Gibbs.  
Now she was standing at the top of the staircase, hesitant to walk down, watching every move he made

"Ziver." He spoke up after a few minutes and he didn't even need to look up to know she was there.  
Slowly she made her way down the stairs and came to a stop in front of him, waiting for him to look up.  
"What brings you here?" Gibbs asked her as he put down the sanding paper and when he looked at her his question became almost unnecessary, almost. This was Gibbs after all and he wanted Ziva to talk to him.

When Tony had come back from Israel almost 6 months ago, without Ziva, he knew that there was more to his trip. Ziva standing in front of him was the proof for his suspicions.  
"It is not what you think it is Gibbs." She protectively rested her hands on her clearly swollen abdomen.

"So?" He replied in a gruffly voice, knowing he would need to push her.  
"I love him, but I needed some time to sort my life and now I am so afraid that he will push me away." A few tears threatened to spill and she tried to blink them away.

The day she had stayed behind in Israel was one of the worst days she had ever had and it was only a few weeks later that she found out about her pregnancy.  
She was so happy when the doctor confirmed her suspicions but once she remembered that she was in Israel and Tony was not the happiness quickly faded and she was left with a numb feeling.

That night she had cried herself into sleep, wondering if she was able to go through this without him.  
At the same time she didn't even know if he would want to be a father, didn't know if she should or could tell him about their child.  
But she had to, and so she had booked a flight to D.C several painful months later.

"What are you afraid of Ziver?" The fatherly tone in his voice was finally back.  
"That he is not ready to be a father, that too much time has passed." She paused.  
"That I hurt him." She whispered.  
She hadn't noticed that someone had entered the basement as well and if Gibbs had he hid it pretty well.

"Nobody is ready to be a parent, and I sure as hell would slap some sense into DiNozzo if he even thought about leaving you alone in this." He always seemed to know what to say even though he often hid his true emotions.

"But I think you should talk about this with him personally." A simple nod into the direction of the staircase was all he gave her before walking out of the basement and silently greeting the man at the top of the stairs.

"Tony." She whispered, almost inaudible and in shock. Tightly clutching her abdomen she waited until he was standing in front of her, waited for his reaction.  
"Ziva." He now replied in the same manner and he couldn't help but stare at how her hands were resting on her stomach.

"How much have you heard?" She swallowed hard, afraid of his answer.  
"Enough." At this her stomach churned and she suddenly felt very dizzy.  
"How could you think I would leave you alone in this?" His voice held a hint of bitterness and he clenched his jaw tightly, yet he tried to remain calm.

"I-It is just…I hurt you Tony. I am sorry." The tears she held back in front of Gibbs were now silently trickling down her cheeks, giving away her desperation.  
"Yes, you hurt me." Silence filled the room. "But even after I left Israel without you I still loved you. And you should've known that I would've supported you from the beginning."

His words somehow stung but at the same time they were a relief.  
"I am sorry for doubting your loyalty. Can you forgive me?" She knew that everything would stand and fall with his reply and all of a sudden her heart was racing and all she wanted to do was running away as fast and as far as she could.

He did not reply, instead he pulled her into a hug and oh so tenderly kissed her, his lips lingering on hers for mere seconds.  
"Yes." He breathed against her skin, sending shivers down her spine. And with that being said she instantly relaxed into his embrace and let the tears flow freely, all the built up tension and fear of the past months slowly leaving her tired body.

As the tears continuously trickled onto the crook of his neck he gently whispered into her ear.  
"It's ok now. You are home again." And that was all she needed to know, that she was finally being home again.


End file.
